Releasing device for boats.



W. e. RANDLE.

EELEASING DEVICE FOR BOATS. APPLIOATIOH FILED MLBJEI'IQO'I.

Patented Sept. 22, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

- which U T D A S WILLIAM G. HANDLE, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

RELEASIN G DEVICE FOR BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 .Patented Sept. 22, ieos.

Application filed March 23, 1907. Serial No. 364,050.

To all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, \Vrumu G. HANDLE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re siding in (lhester, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Re Tleasing Devices for Boats, of which the following is a true and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part thereof. My invention relates to means for detaching orreleasing boat-s swinging from davits at the sides of ships and the mainobject of my invention is the provision of simple and effective means bywhich the connections between the two ends of the boats and the davitsmay be simultaneously broken at the proper time, thus avoiding anypossibility of sinking a boat by releasing one end without releasing theother, and to carry out my invention I have devised mechanism which iscomparatively simple in construction, but is positive in its ac Mon andmay readily be so dis )osed in the boat that it is out of the way an notliable to accidental operation while at the same time it may be easilyoperated by the proper person whenever necessary.

he various features of novelty which characterize my invention arepointed out with articularity in the claims annexed to and orming a partof this specification. For a better understanding of my invention andthe advantages )ossessed by it, however, reference may e had to theaccompanyin drawings and descriptive matter in have illustrated anddescribed one of the forms in which my invention may be embodied.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, buttaken on a larger scale than Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a boatequipped with my invention. Fig. 3 is an ele ation showing a portion ofthe securing device with the davit block secured by it. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 3with the davit block released. Fig. 6 is an end elevation. Fig. 7 is aside elevation on a larger scale than Fig. 3 of the securing device, andFig. 8 is an elevation of a guard frame or hood for covering a portionof the, mechanism.

In the drawings, A represents a boat such as a life boat ordinarilycarried by ships, the

55 boat having the usual cross seats B, and side seats G. Adj acent eachend of the boat is secured a davit connection securing device D.

As shown each securing device comprises a mam stationary portion D 111the form of a j portion of a rmg or link, and a movable retaining memberor tumbler D pivoted to the portion D and adapted to complete the link.For convenience the portion D may be formed of two similar members Dsecured together by rivets D and. shaped to form a passage for theheaded securing bolt D and shafts D and D and a space for the tumbler D"and the locking dog E. The bolt D is secured to the boat keel. F 5 as bymeans of the nut D In the form shown the bolts D hold the eyes downagainst the end seats B through which the bolts pass and spacers orbushings D surrounding the bolts serve to properly space :1 art theportions of the boat through which t 1e bolt passes.

Between the upper ends of the members D the tumbler D is pivoted on anenlarged portion of the shaft 1), the enlargement of the shaft D servingas a spacer between the members D The member D comprises arms D and D.\Vhen the member is in the retaining position the arm D unites with partD to complete the link, and the arm D at the opposite side of thepivotal'connection lies between the upper ends of the members D The armD is adapted to be engaged by a locking dog or lever B, pivoted betweenthe parts D on an enlargement of the shaft D. The arm D has formed on itteeth like projections D and D which interlock with teeth likeprojections E and E on the locking dog. 4

, hen the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 7 the eye isclosed and the tumbler D held against movement by the locking dog. Eachlocking lever has a portion projecting through a slot in the support ingposition by means of a spring E located below the seats of the boat andhaving one end secured to the locking dog and the other to the framework of the boat. The means for releasing the tumblers D comprisingchains or the like F and F which are connected to the short arms G and Gres )ectively, of the operating lever G, which is pivoted at (l beneathone of the side seats C r in any desired place as in one end of the boatas shown in Fig. 2.

mg seat B, and is normally held in the lockv The chains F and F arelocated entirely beneath theseats and out of I ll v danger of accidentalmani ulation, the chain F being guided by ro s F. Hoods or shrouds H,which may be of sheet metal and are secured to the seats B, unite withthe members D to form-housings inclosing the portions of the lockingdogs E above. the

oat seats.

' With the upper ends of the members D extending slightly past the topofthe links as shown, a large portion of the pull exerted by the davitsis taken by the stationary parts of the links directly and not throughthe pivoted retaining members.

VV'hen it is desired to disconnect the boat from the davits the -lever Gis turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. This turnseach lever E from the position shown in Figs. 31and 4 to that shown inFig. 5. As soon as the levers turn so that the teeth E clear the teeth Dthe tumblers D are free to open under the pull exerted upon them by thedavit fall eyes I. Moreover, the tumblers are given a positive openingmovement by the locking levers by means of the projections E on thelocking levers, which engage the teeth D and give a positive openingmovement to each tumbler D as the teeth E clear the teeth D, so that thearms ,D move intp the eyes of the links and prevent the davitconnections from holding on the upper ends of the members D The tumblersD are sha ed and arranged so that when they are in t e retainingposition, the inner edge of each arm I) is pro tected from engagement bythe davitconnection by the adjacent parts of the members 1).

.As a result, in ordinary operation thepull of the davit connectionsWlll act on the tum-- blers through the arms D only and will open thelinks as soon as the tumblers are released. The extreme ends of the armsD are protected and supported by the adjacent portions of the parts Dwhich unite to form pockets receiving the arm ends.

It will be observed that the mechanism just described is simple andcomprises no parts apt to get out of order and that it pro vides meansfor simultaneously and positively releasing the two ends of the boatwhen the lever G is operated and that it is practically impossible torelease the locking evers except by means of the lever G. These areimportant considerations, especially with life boats, which areprimarily for use only.

in times of stress and are filled with people before being lowered fromthe ship to which they belong. The advantage of locating the releasingmechanism so that it may not be operated in an improper manner by anyexcited passengers on the boat is obvious.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is,

1 A davit connection securing device comprising a stationary part in theform of a versemeni tical link open atone side of and adjacent the topofthe link, a movable part pivoted to said stationary. part at the top ofthe link and provided with arms at opposite sides of the pivotalconnection, said arms being so shaped that when the movable partis inthe retaining position, one arm completes the link and the other arm,extends along the stationary part of the link, and a locking dognormally holding said movable part in the position in which the linkisclosed, but being movable to release said movable part, said movablepart and dog having cam surfaces which cooperate as the dog is moved torelease the movable part to turn the latter about its pivotal support sothat the link-closing arm swings outward and upward and the other armmoves into the link.

2. A davit connection securing device comprising in combination a partlyopen stationary link, a movable part pivoted to said Sta tionary linkand adapted to be locked in the position in which it completes the linkand is directly engaged by the davit connection, said movable part beingprovided with a dog engaging extension D having tccth D and D", and thelocking dog E pivotally connected to said stationary link and providedwith a tooth E which enters between the teeth D" and D on said movablepart when.

the parts are in the locking position, and with 'a cam portion E adaptedto engage one of the teeth D of the movable part and ositively move thelatter to release the avit connection when the locking do" is turned onits pivotal connection, the tooth E and the cam portion E of the lockingdog being so arranged that the locking dog can be moved to release saidmovable part before causing any movement of the latter.

3. In combination, a boat having seats and provided at each end with adavit con nection securing device projecting above said seats, eachdevice having a pivoted retaining member for, and adapted to directlyengage said connection and a locking dog having aportion projectingbelow the sea ts, normally holding said member in the retainingposition, but movable to release said member, 7

said member and dog having cam surfaces which directly engage to movethe retaining member out of the retaining posltlon, when the dog ismoved to release the retaining ate to move the retain ng member out theseats, said locking dog said member in the retaining positilnm but;

member and doghaving parts whiefireafljper- 13% the release theretaining member, and, 10-" cated beneath the seats and engag ortions ofthe locking dogs mien ow the seats for simultaneous y'mo N loo-him do sto release the retaininggmsnbe controlled by them.

. 5. In combination a horizontalsmgggmrt, a davit connection securingdevice g a stationary part in the form of 11's rtica! 3 link bearing atits lower end against'tt aesagaper 1 side of said support, said linkhmliggwyen at g to said stationary art at the top of the link andbetween the si e walls of said slot, a locking dog for the tumbler alsopivoted to the retaining position, when the dog'is wa med to saidstationary part between the side walls of said slot, said locking (loghaving a portion Q extending down through said support and a' housingbearing against the long side of said stationary part and uniting withit to form a f casing about the portion of the locking dog,

i1 above said support.

WILLIAM G. RANDLE.

Witnesses:

T. WIoKERsHAM, B. FRANK Fox.

one side of and adjacent its top and having a v slot formed in its longside, a tumbler pivoted being movable to release said menzfieng, said 2d

